Pecan And Cherry Chocolate Truffles Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cherries and brandy; cover and let soak for 1 hour or until cherries are softened., Place dark chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Stir in extract and soaked cherries with liquid. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm., Shape into 1-in. balls. Place on baking sheets; cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour., In a microwave, melt milk chocolate; stir until smooth. Dip half of the balls into milk chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set., Melt dark chocolate; stir until smooth. Dip remaining balls into dark chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Drizzle with melted chocolate and decorate with pearl dust as desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, then beat in the jam, both extracts and the food coloring. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until combined. Fold in the chocolate and dried cherries with a wooden spoon. Cover the dough and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Put the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl and sift the confectioners? sugar into a separate bowl. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, then roll each ball in the granulated sugar and then the confectioners' sugar; shake off any excess. Arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared pans.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are cracked and dry on top, about 15 minutes. Let cool 3 minutes on the pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Steps:

• Chop the chocolate: Use a chef's knife to chop the chocolate as finely as possible; this will help it melt quickly and evenly. Then place it in a medium glass bowl. (Glass retains heat, so the chocolate will stay melted longer.)
• Make the ganache: Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form around the edge. Remove from the heat and add about one-fourth of the chocolate; whisk until smooth. Slowly pour the cream mixture over the remaining chocolate in the bowl and let sit until the chocolate melts, about 30 seconds. Puree the melted chocolate with an immersion blender or beat with a whisk until all the lumps disappear and the ganache is smooth. Stir in the butter until smooth, then add liqueur, if desired. (Jacques adds the liqueur last, so the flavor doesn't cook off.)
• Pour and set: Line a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-foot overhang on one side. Pour the ganache onto the baking sheet and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Fold the plastic wrap back over and press directly onto the surface of the ganache. Let cool at room temperature at least 4 hours or overnight.
• For the truffles: Using two teaspoons, scoop small mounds of the ganache onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Set aside until firm enough to roll, about 15 minutes in the refrigerator or 2 hours at room temperature.
• Roll into balls: Place the chocolate mounds between both palms, squeeze slightly and roll. Refrigerate until ready to coat.
• Temper the chocolate: This is a gentle melting and cooling process that gives chocolate a glossy finish. For the coating, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until melted, about 40 minutes. Pour into a clean glass bowl; stir to cool to between 88 degrees and 90 degrees, about 40 minutes. (Jacques recommends a laser thermometer for checking the temperature.)
• Dip and coat: Spread out the cocoa powder, coconut and nuts on parchment paper. One at a time, dip each truffle in the tempered chocolate with a two-prong dipping fork (you can buy one at a baking-supply store or break off the middle tines of a plastic fork). Lift the truffle and let the excess chocolate drip off. Roll in toppings and place on a rack to dry. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Finely chop the chocolate block or use pistoles. The size of the chocolate pieces is key. Make sure the chocolate is in small pieces so that the heat from the boiled cream can melt all of the chocolate.
• Place chopped chocolate in a large non-reactive bowl. In a medium saucepan, bring cream, salt, and vanilla bean to a boil. Once mixture has boiled and foamed up, immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Let chocolate and cream mixture sit for 3 minutes. With a wooden spoon, begin stirring small circles in the middle of the bowl. As the smooth mixture begins to form in the middle, slowly expand the size of the circle until the cream and chocolate is fully incorporated. Remove vanilla bean and stir in butter. Cover mixture and let sit until firm.
• Fill a piping bag or zip top freezer bag with the truffle mixture and pipe into 1 tablespoon size dollops. Allow dollops to set up until they are firm. Roll dollops into round truffles. Truffles can be coated in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, ground nuts, coconut, etc.
• Optional: Add 1-ounce distilled liquor or liqueurs (i.e. brandy, Kirsch, etc.) to butter for additional flavor variations. Distilled liquors or liqueurs add flavor without adding extra sweetness.

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan or microwave, heat the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and shake the bowl gently to settle the cream. Cover with a plate or lid and set aside until the chocolate melts, about 5 minutes. Whisk the mixture until smooth and shiny. Stir in the rum or other flavoring. Cover the surface of the chocolate with plastic wrap. Set aside in a cool place until the chocolate firms up, about 2 hours. (To speed this up set the bowl of chocolate over another bowl of ice and stir until the desired consistency.)
• Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper. Use 2 spoons to drop small mounds/balls of chocolate, about 1/2 to 1-inch high on the paper (depending on the size you want). Then chill your hands under a faucet of running cold water or by using an ice bath. Roll each chocolate mound between your open palms to make smooth round balls.
• Pour the cocoa or coating of choice into a cake pan or on a plate. Roll the truffles in the coating or use a clean spoon to pour the coating on the truffles. Repeat with all the truffles. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To serve, scoop the truffles out of the cocoa with a fork or a slotted spoon. Put the truffles in small candy cups and serve now or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Place dark chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, heat butter and cream just to simmering. Pour over chocolate; stir until smooth. Stir in bacon. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate, covered, 1-1/2 hours or until firm enough to shape., For coating, place baking chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over baking chips; stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir in maple flavoring. Cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 1-1/2 hours., Shape dark chocolate mixture into 1-in. balls. Dip truffles in maple mixture; allow excess to drip off. Roll in pecans; place on a waxed paper-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Refrigerate until set. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Toss cherries with brandy; let stand, covered, 1 hour., For crust, mix flour, sugar and salt. Whisk together oil and milk; add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork just until blended. Press onto bottom and up sides of a greased 9-in. pie plate., For filling, drain cherries, reserving 1 tablespoon brandy. Beat butter, sugar and salt until blended; gradually beat in eggs and reserved brandy. Stir in flour. Fold in pecans, chocolate and cherries; pour into crust., Bake until top is golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. If desired, serve with whipped cream. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together pecans, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and salt until well combined. Add maple syrup, bourbon and vanilla, stirring thoroughly. Use your hands to make sure the mixture becomes fully incorporated.
• Form mixture into walnut-sized balls, then place on a cookie sheet and freeze for 2 hours.
• In the top of a double boiler or in a medium stainless steel bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water, melt chocolate (we recommend tempering the chocolate, but if you don't, they'll still be delicious, just a bit messy). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip the frozen balls into the melted chocolate, then place onto prepared baking sheet. Let sit for 15 minutes or until firm.

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes (do not stir). Whisk chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup coconut, 1/4 cup pecans, extract and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm., Shape chocolate mixture into 1-in. balls; roll in remaining coconut and pecans. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat a broiler. Spread the nuts on a foil-lined baking sheet and place under the broiler for about a minute to toast them lightly and evenly. Do not allow them to burn. Set them aside.
• Shave the chocolate into a heatproof mixing bowl and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water until the chocolate is nearly all melted. Remove the bowl and stir the chocolate until smooth. Stir in the nuts and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Stir in the butter and the bourbon. Refrigerate the mixture until it is firm.
• When firm, remove from the refrigerator and allow to soften for about 15 minutes. Place the cocoa in a shallow dish. Using a spoon, scoop half-tablespoons of the chocolate mixture, form somewhat uneven balls about an inch in diameter and roll them quickly into the cocoa. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The balls can also be frozen without the cocoa for later use and dusted with cocoa just before serving.